Vacuum cleaner



P. E. PAGE VACUUM CLEANER Nov. 8, 1938.

Filed Sept. 16, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 P. E. PAGE VACUUM CLEANER Nov. 8, 1938.-

Filed Spt. 16, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l l [H 30 Jrg 51 Inventor l ul'i/ a e flttornq P. E. PAGE ,VACUUM CLEANER Nm s, 1938.

Filed Sept. 16; 1936 '5 Sheets-Sheet 3 fnywziar Mt ,8

Nov: 8, 1938. P. E. PAGE VACUUM CLEANER Filed Sept. 16, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 F9 w 7 re 76 1mm 72 tor M 3 JWe' I J flttorne y I F. E. PAGE Nov. 8, 1938.

Filed Sept. 16, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE to Louis B. Canada.

Desmarteaux, London, Ontario,

Application September 16, 1936, Serial No. 101,019 In Canada March 16, 1936 8 Claims.

The invention appertains to suction sweepers and cleaners of the hand operated type especially adapted for cleaning carpets, floors. and floor coverings.

More particularly the invention concerns a vacuum cleaner in which the suction fan is motivated by a traction drive in order to suck sweepings and dust through the nozzle and discharge same into the bag with which such devices are qu pped. The machine is drawn over the floor by alternate push and pull movements as is well understood in the art, and in the forward motion power is transmitted to the fan.

The salient object of the invention is to provide a more efficient and more serviceable mech anism whereby the rotation of the. fan is sustained without appreciable loss in velocity during reverse movement of the device in which the traction wheels are disconnected with the power drive.

This is accomplished by a flywheel and clutch mechanism that provides for propulsion of thefan between the actuating periods of the traction drive or for continuing the operation of the fan for a period of time after the traction wheels have ceased their movement.

A distinctive feature of the mechanism is that it is so devised as to quickly accelerate the fan with easy starting force in order that the operator may not have to exert much pressure to initially start the machine in operation. This is achieved by the interposition of a clutch so arranged as to cause a lag or slip of the fiywheel by which it may gradually gain momentum as'the machine is brought into operation.

An important feature of this clutch is that it exerts greater clutching power as the traction power is cut oil so that the full energy of its momentum will be transmitted to the fan and thus maintain it in continuous operation for some time after energization.

A further object of the invention is. to produce a simple and eflicient power transmitting unit for the fan, which mechanism includes a clutch for disconnecting the traction wheels from the fan shaft.

Having described the major objects and advantages of the invention, subsidiary objects and incidental features will be disclosed as the description proceeds.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 Ba perspective view of the vacuum cleaner in which a part of the nozzle is broken away to show the brush depending from the orifice thereof.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the underside of the a machine omitting the handle and the bag.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line .3-3 of Figure 2 showing one of the adjustable wheels of the nozzle.

Figure 4 is a detail of the cam fingers shown in Figures 1 and 3 for adjusting the elevation of the nozzle wheels.

Figure 5 is a vertical fragmentary section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2, depicting the brush structure and nozzle arrangement.

Figure 6 is a vertical section on line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a sectional view through the fan housing showing the fan therein.

Figure 8 is a transverse section through the casing giving a general assembly view of the traction wheels, gear casing, fan and flywheel.

Figure 9 is a section through the casing giving an elevation of the flywheel.

Figure 10 is a diametrical section thereof.

Figure 11 is a sectional view through the transmission showing the fan and flywheel.

Figure 12 is a cross section online i2-l2 thereof. v

Figure 13 is a detail of the traction wheels and their mounting.-

Figure 14 is a sectional view of a modified flywheel and fan assembly, and Figure 15 is a further modification thereof. I

Figure 16 is a plan view depicting a modified construction of .the machine in which the fan is mounted overhead ona vertical axis that furnishes a direct suction passage from thenozzle.

Figure 17 is a vertical section through this modification with the exception of the nozzle portion which is shown in full.

Figure 18 is a horizontal section taken on line l8-|8 of Figure 17, showing a modified flywheel structure.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the figures throughout the drawings of the invention.

In Figures 1 to 15 inclusive, in which one practical construction of the machine is illustrated, the reference numeral I 6 generally denotes the casing that encloses the operating mechanism, and is directly carried onthe traction wheels H. The customary handle l8'is attached to the sides of the casing and serves to carry the free end of the bag I9.

The nozzle 20 extends forwardly and downwardly from the casing, terminating in an elongated transverse orifice 2l through which matorifice extends upwardly and is open to the floor surface, said orifice being formed in part by the oposing side walls 22, 23. The wall 23 has an opening 24 medially of its length that leads into the throat of the duct 25, which duct in turn leads into the side of the fan housing 26. The fan 21 is operably disposed within this housing so that the blast therefrom may discharge through the outlet 28.

The brush is coextensively mounted in the suction orifice so that the tufts 29 may project downwardly therefrom. The tufts are carried by the bar 30 which is vertically slidable on the hangers 3| and limited in its outward movement by the cotter pins 32 or other shoulder-forming elements. The hangers are pivoted at their upper ends as at 33 and supplied with compression springs 34 that yieldably retain the brush bar in its'outermost position. Since the brush has a limited amount of play within the orifice it is free to move back and forth therein. Accordingly, when the machine is forwardly propelled the brush, due to its contact with the floor surface, is thrown backwardly so that the bar 30 contacts the wall 23 and is thus held at an angle to the floor surface. The accumulated sweepings in advance of the brush are thus readily drawn into the nozzle. Likewise, when the machine is rearwardly propelled, the brush swings to the other side of the orifice for the same purpose.

The wheels 35 hold the nozzle at the desired elevation above the floor surface and are each mounted 'in an independent bracket as at 36, which is pivoted at 31 above and to one side of the axle. A bar 38 is pivoted to the bracket and disposed at the outer side of the pivot 31.

. The bar projects upwardly through a hole in the nozzle wall 39 and is pinned to a finger 40 by means of the bifurcated part 40. The finger has cam faces 4| at different distances from the fulcrum pin, and the bar 38 has a compression spring 42 urging the bracket away from the finger. Accordingly, by turning the finger to different positions the bracket is shifted about its pivot in order to adjust the elevation of the nozzle.

Such adjustable means are given by way of example but not of limitation as it is obvious that other expedients may be resorted to for this purpose.

The traction wheels ll aforesaid are mounted upon a live axle 42 journalled in the side plates 43 of the transmission case 44. The axle carries a conventional over-running clutch 45 of which the driving element is secured thereto while the driven member is secured to or integral with a sprocket 46. The clutch may be of the ratchet type shown which serves to automatically lock the driven member in the forward rotation of the wheels and release the driven member in the reverse movement of the wheels so that the driving mechanism is disconnected when the machine is drawn backward.

The sprocket is connected by a chain 41 to a smaller sprocket 48 which drives the sprocket 49, which in turn drives the sprocket'filt by means of the chain 5|. Another set of sprockets 52 transmits the-power to the fan shaft 53 by means of the chain 54. This nest of gearing substantially increases the speed ratio between the traction wheels and thefan as will be well understood. Since the fan is keyed to its shaft it is positively driven at high speed in the operation of the machine.

disc and is free to turn independently of it and the fan shaft. The recess 56 provides an internal annular surface 51' radially spaced from the periphery of the disc.

Within said recess is a flat spiral spring 58 having its inner end secured to the disc at 58'. The inner convolution has a local eccentric bulge 59, while the outer convolution frictionally engages the annular surface 51' as at 60 of the flywheel recess 56. The outer end 6| is curved in-' wardly over the bulge 59 and then turned outwardly with the extremity contacting the said annular surface as at 82. The normal position or configuration of the spring is as shown in Figure 9; however, as the fan is brought into motion by forward propulsion of the machine the disc is turned with the fan shaft and thus tends to wind or coil the spring due to inertia of the flywheel and the frictional engagement of the spring therewith. This action causes the bulge 59 to relax its pressure on the end 6| with the result that the clutching pressure on the flywheel is slackened. Consequently the flywheel tends to' lag or slip in the starting of the fan and therefore no great effort on the part of the operator is required to get the machine in motion, which is a very important feature.

The flywheel accelerates as the fan gets under way until the angular velocity is the same as the disc. The relaxation of the spring then applies increased clutching pressure. When the traction wheels stop or are reversed, as intermittently occurs in the handling of the machine, the clutch 45 severs the traction drive connection, and the flywheel then becomes the driving agent for the fan. The bulged portion of the spring now functions to force the spring into increased clutching engagement with the flywheel. This means of increasing the clutching engagement between the clutch elements has proved to be serviceable and dependable.

The spring and coacting internal face portion of the flywheel constitute a slip clutch with means for decreasing the clutching pressure in the initial or starting movement of the driving member, and with means for increasing the clutching pressure when the driving member is disconnected from the traction drive.

The disc may be referred to as a primary flywheel because its inertia is sufficient to at least assist the fan in operation while the flywheel proper or secondary flywheel is lagging or slipping. I

While it has been ascertained that the spring clutch is practicaland satisfactory for furnishing the desired lag of the flywheel, nevertheless it is conceivable that a known type of centrifugal clutch, especially of lag-producing' Turning to the modified structure illustrated in Figures 16 to 23 inclusive, the suction nozzle, generally indicated by the numeral 20, has a suction passage 63 extending upwardly and rearwardly to provide a substantially direct duct'to the overhead fan housing 64. The fan 65 is fixed on the vertical shaft 66 and an opening 61 is supplied in the divisional wall 68 to constitute the ingress of the fan housing. The fan discharges through the outlet 69 to which the bag is attached in the customary manner.

The shaft carries a spiral pinion 10 driven by a set of spiral gears 1| which in turn are driven by the axle 12 of the traction wheels I3. The gears are housed in the casing 14, and a clutch 15 is interposed in the drive in order that the fan will be traction driven only in the forward motion of the machine. Theclutch may be of the type previously described and identified by the numeral 45.

A flywheel 16 is surmounted with respect to the fan and is journalled on the vertical shaft 56. A recess 11 is formed in the flywheel to provide an annular surface 18 and to accommodate a set of driving dogs 19. The dogs are pivoted at 80 to the fan so as to be carried around with it. The curved faces 80' rearwardly recede from the annular surface 18 and the centre of gravity of the dogs is rearwardly of the pivots.

It will be understood from this construct-ion that as the fan is driven in the forward propulsion of the machine as indicated by the arrow in Figure 18, thedogs are outwardly urged about their pivots. The forward edges of the curved faces engage the annular surface 18 and thus gradually rotate the flywheel until it turns at the same speed at which the fan is operating.

In the reverse movement of the machine,- the clutch l5 disconnects the fan from the traction drive and the flywheel then takes up the drive and operates the fan through the medium of the dogs. The momentum ofthe flywheel is thus employed to power the fan in the reverse movements of the machine as well as following a forward propulsion.

Whereas the invention has been described and shown in its preferred form, changes and modifications of the component elements may be resorted to without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as defined in claims hereinafter appended.

What I claim is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination with a fan and a non-reversing traction drive therefor, of a flywheel journalled for independent rotation, a friction clutch interposed between said flywheel and said fan having a driving member normally frictionally engaged with a driven member by applied pressure and provided with means adapted to automatically reduce the applied pressure between the driving and driven members while initially accelerating the flywheel to produce lag or slip of the flywheel with respect to the fan. i

2. A structure inv accordance with claim 1, in which said means of the friction clutch also serve to increase the gripping power when the traction drive ceases to operate.

.3. In a vacuum'cleaner, the combination with a fan and a non-reversing traction drive therefor, of a disc positively driven by said drive, an independently journalled flywheel having a recess providing an annular surface around the disc, a spiral spring disposed in the recess and having an inner coil secured to the disc and then bent into an outward bulge, said spring being I continued into an outer coil engaged with the said annular surface and then inwardly curved into contact with the said outward bulge with its end portion curved'outwardly into engagement with said annular surface, whereby the engagement of the outward bulge of the inner coil with the inwardly curved portion of the outer coil functions to lock the flywheel to the disc when the traction drive ceases to operate.

. 4. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination with a fan and a traction drive therefor, of a flywheel journalled for rotation independently of the fan and having an annular surface, and a centrifugal element pivoted to the fan to swing radially therefrom and having a curved face for contact with and rearwardly receding from the annular surface aforesaid, said centrifugal element having a centre of gravity located rearwardly of its pivotal point with respect to forward rotation whereby it is urged into driving engagement with the flywheel in the operation of the fan so as to lock therewith when the traction drive ceases to operate in order to serve to transmit the stored energy of the flywheel back to the fan.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination with a fan and a non-reversing traction drive therefor, of a flywheel journalled for rotation independently of the fan and the traction drive, means providing a. driving connection between the fan and the traction drive, and a centrifugal clutch for operating the flywheel, saidclutch comprising an annular element driven with the flywheel, an element driven by the traction drive,

and means carried by said last named elementand actuated by centrifugal force to frictionally engage the annular element for driving the flywheel, in the operation of the traction drive and to positively lock with the annular element when the traction drive ceases to operate so as to positively transmit the stored energy of the flywheel back to the fan.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination of a casing, a live axle mounted therein, supporting wheels secured to the axle, gearing and shaft means for taking off power from the axle, an over-running clutch connecting the gearing to the live axle such as to declutch the gearing in the reverse motion of the supporting wheels, a fan connected to and driven by the gearing, a flywheel floatingly mounted on the shaft means adjoining the fan, and a friction clutch conmeeting the flywheel to the shaft means, for transmitting power of the flywheel back to the fan when the flrst mentioned clutch disconnects the gearing from the aforesaid axle.

7. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination of a casing, a live axle mounted therein, supporting wheels secured to the axle, speed-increasing gearing connected to the axle, a shaft journalled in the casing and driven by said gearing, a fan fixed thereto, a one-way clutch interposed between said wheels and said gearing, a flywheel journalled on the shaft adjoining the fan, and a centrifugal clutch mechanism interposed between the fan and the flywheel and having centrifugal elements carried by the fan and adapted to drive the flywheel, said centrifugal elements being constructed and arranged to form a positive connection for transmitting stored energy of the flywheel back to the fan when the oneway clutch declutches the gearing in the reversing or stopping of the supporting wheels.

8. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination of a casing, a live axle mounted therein, supporting idly mounted on the shaft, :3. flywheel floatingly mounted on the shaft, and a slip clutch mechanism mounted on the shaft and connecting it to the flywheel, said slip clutch having a lag or slip to facilitate starting.

PAUL E. PAGE. 

